An Unexpected Turn
by KittyKat1026
Summary: Watching Mal was the hardest thing the young pirate had ever experienced. It was one thing to see on television, but quite another to see everything right in front of his eyes. Whether he admitted it or not, he was in love with the purple-haired dragon. Set after D3
1. Chapter 1

Watching Mal was the hardest thing the young pirate had ever experienced. It was one thing to see on television, but quite another to see everything right in front of his eyes. Whether he admitted it or not, he was in love with the purple-haired dragon.

It had been six months since the barrier was destroyed. Villains and "heroes" walked the same paths, attended the same schools, worked in the same offices. It was easier than anyone ever expected. Sure, there were a few bumps along the way, but overall, the people of Auradon and the Isle of the Lost were at peace.

In those six months, Harry had been getting closer to Mal and her friends than he ever imagined. He and Gil would spend most of their nights in Carlos and Jay's room, playing the newest video game they had acquired or working on their homework, hoping that at least one of them knew what was going on in class. Harry finally understood how the original VKs had transitioned so easily. There was no need for mischief or evildoings because they had everything they could ever want. Now that wasn't to say that Harry didn't partake in a bit of mischief every once in a while. It was that same mischief that caused him to become close friends with Mal.

Sneaking out past curfew to walk down to the forbidden beach, spray painting her classic "Long Live Evil" design on the sides of buildings, and using her magic to play harmless pranks on any passersby. Those nights were the ones Harry remembered when he felt his temper rise, when he wanted nothing more than to hook the stuck-up jock who, of course, ended up being the child of Peter Pan and Wendy. Those thoughts of himself with Mal instantly brought him away from whatever he was dealing with at the moment.

But what he couldn't get away from was her relationship with Ben. It was just his luck. He found someone who understood him better than anyone else ever had, including Uma, but she'd never be his. It was never in the cards for them. They had known each other as children, but after the infamous shrimp incident with Uma, he hadn't spoken to her much. It was usually nothing but empty threats on the Isle. He'd threaten to gut her alive if she ever stepped foot on Uma's side of the Isle again, but they both knew he would never hurt a hair on her head. When she and her friends had left for Auradon, he thought he'd be able to forget about her, but when she started appearing on television with _him_, his fondness turned to anger. She left the Isle to become this prissy princess, to marry the king. He always received confused looks when he stormed out of Ursula's, but he didn't care. He just had to get away from the sound of her voice, saying how happy and in love she was. So when Gil had informed him that King Ben was on the Isle, a thousand twisted thoughts ran through his mind.

"Snatch him." He had said simply, a wicked smile on his face.

The worry Mal had for the king caused Harry's stomach to knot. After seeing her in the salon, he had thought that maybe the old Mal had come back, but after what happened at the dock, he knew he would never see the old version of herself ever again.

Since the day the barrier was taken down, he was quickly seeing the girl as she truly was, making things so much harder for him. He had never been the romantic type, but when he saw Ben with his arms around her, all he wanted was to take his place, to be the one she looked at like that. Maybe that's why he went on one date with Audrey. Maybe he needed to date someone who was completely different from Mal. Ten minutes into the date, he already knew that he would have to restrain himself from smashing a tray against Audrey's head.

Dating had never been something he cared about. Back on the Isle, he would stay away from relationships, only sleeping with whatever girl he could get into bed. But even after trying that again, he couldn't get the purple-haired beauty out of his mind.

So there he was, sitting on a bench outside of campus, staring out at the ocean in front of him. If he wanted to, he could go back to the Isle, grab a ship, and set sail, but something kept him in Auradon. Hope? Foolishness? He didn't know. But before he could think too much, he felt a pair of hands reach around him and cover his eyes.

"Shouldn't you be in the King's office, deciding whether you want your castle to be six or seven bedrooms?" He asked with a slight edge, a small smirk on his lips.

Mal narrowed her eyes and dropped her hands. "It's not fun when you always know it's me."

"I know it's you because you're the only person who isn't scared to sneak up on me."

The girl shrugged before sitting next to him on the bench. "So…" she started, not knowing where to start.

Harry turned his head towards her, his smirk growing. "What are you going to ask me to do now, princess?"

Mal shook her head, "I'm not going to ask you to do anything. I just wanted to ask you something."

"Go on."

"You went away for a week when the barrier came down. Uma said you and Gil took a ship and sailed around before coming back. What did it feel like? Being completely free?"

Harry raised an eyebrow at her question. Her usual confidence was gone, replaced with something he had never seen before with Mal. Uncertainty.

"It's everything you've imagined. There are no rules, no barriers. It felt like anything was possible. There's a little bit of fear of the unknown, but you don't care because it just feels so good. You want to scream at the top of your lungs and never stop. It's pure happiness and freedom."

Mal stared at him while he spoke, clearing her throat when she realized he had finished. "Funny. That's almost exactly how Evie explained falling in love."

"Well, it's no secret that the ocean is my one true love." He let out a chuckle, "Why would she need to explain something like that? It's not like you don't have experience in that particular department." Harry's eyes traveled across the campus, towards Ben and his parents. "You seem to know all about true love."

She let out a small sigh, "I thought I did."

Harry wanted to ask her to elaborate, but before he could, the school bell rang.

Mal stood up quickly and grabbed her backpack off of the ground. "Better head to class. I'll see you tonight for dinner with everyone." And with that, she left.

He didn't know what to think of their conversation. All he knew was that perhaps Mal's life wasn't has perfect as it had seemed on television or even in front of his own eyes. Time, he figured, would give him the answers he wanted.

*Author's Note*

Hi! So I haven't written anything in roughly 10 years, so I apologize if I'm a little rusty. I'm not sure if I want to keep this as a one shot or continue, so please let me know!

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Harry couldn't stop thinking about what Mal had said earlier. Were things not as perfect in her relationship as they made it seem? For the rest of the day, he kept an eye out for the couple, trying to see if he could find any hint of upset. With Ben, things seemed to be normal. Harry guessed he had been taught to keep his emotions in check at all times to keep people from prying even more than they already did. Mal, on the other hand, was different. She still had her usual smile, laughed when she was supposed to, spoke when spoken to, but it was her eyes that caught Harry's attention. When she smiled, it didn't reach those green orbs of hers. Something was on her mind. It was the look she had when her mother would torture a random person on the street and Mal had to pretend to enjoy it to avoid her mother's wrath. It was a look Harry had seen all too much when they were younger.

As he was watching her, he felt his breathing stop as her eyes moved towards him, locking with his gaze. She knew he saw through her façade. It felt as though her eyes were burning into his soul. They just stood there, staring at one another for a moment before Harry pulled out his pocket watch, swinging it slightly in front of him.

"Come on." He mouthed before walking towards the dining hall.

Harry immediately found the VKs sitting at their usual table. He grabbed a plate of food and walked over, sitting next to Carlos. He couldn't take a bite before Evie began talking.

"Something is wrong with Mal, but she won't talk to me. Do you think she wants to go back to the Isle again? Maybe she's becoming overwhelmed with school? If I were her, I wouldn't even worry about it. I'm sure being engaged to the king has its perks when it comes to school." She sighed, taking a sip of her tea. "Has she said anything to any of you?"

Jay let out a laugh, "Evie, do you really think she trusts anyone at this table more than you? She may call all of us her best friends, but we all know that you kinda hold that spot as her favorite."

Harry just silently ate, not wanting to contribute to the conversation. He wouldn't be much help, anyway. His eyes kept searching the hall for Mal, but she never came. Probably some fancy dinner with Ben, he thought. Why would she need to uphold any plans with anyone else when she had the king?

Once he was finished, Harry stood up from the table and walked towards the exit, sliding his tray into the washer before walking out. Immediately, he felt his arm being tugged, pulling him around the corner. In his confusion, all he saw was purple. She silently led him towards the dorms, not wanting anyone to know she was around. It was only a matter of time before Evie came looking for her. When they came to a stop outside of Harry's dorm, he raised an eyebrow, unlocked the door, and walked inside.

"So are you going to tell me what all that was about?" He asked, sitting on the small sofa next to the window. "Because you've been avoiding everyone all day, and Evie is about to send out a search party."

Mal took a deep breath as she sat next to him, closing her eyes as the breeze hit her face. "I just needed some time to think. Last time I tried, I got ambushed by the press again, and Ben had to come save me. You're the only person who will let me talk and get everything out of my system."

A smirk appeared on Harry's face. "And I'll only use some of it against you."

Mal closed her eyes, ignoring his remark. "I don't think I'm in love with Ben." She whispered. "I can't talk to Evie about it because she would just say I'm getting cold feet and it'll blow over, but I know it's not that. Maybe I loved the idea of being loved because I had never felt it before. You know my mother and you know what it's like on the Isle. Love is a weakness. It felt so good to be truly cared about by someone I didn't see as family like Evie, Carlos, and Jay. But even after everything that's happened in the last year, I still feel as though I can never be truly honest with Ben. I want my spellbook back, I want to go wherever and do whatever without being followed by cameras. If I make a mistake, I don't want it on the news an hour later. I've talked to Ben about it, but he keeps saying that I'll get used to it. Well, I've been here for well over a year, and I'm not used to it. I hate it more than ever."

Harry fiddled with the tip of his hook as she spoke, not knowing what to say or even if she wanted him to say anything. He knew that being in Auradon was still an issue for Mal. Even with the barrier down, she was rarely able to visit the Isle. The last time she did, it sparked rumors that she was meeting up with her lizard mother to plan a takeover of the kingdom again. She hadn't been back since.

She slowly opened her eyes, looking out the window at the ocean. "And when Evie explained how she felt when she fell in love with Doug, I realized that I never had any of that. Our relationship started as a lie, and even after that lie ended, more kept stacking up. Now I'm engaged to a king and I don't know if I really want to be."

Her words made Harry feel as though he would be killed for just hearing them. Why was it him that she confided in? What could he say to make her feel better? What could he do to help her situation?

"An engagement isn't a marriage." He said, avoiding her eyes. "You have every right to tell him exactly what you've just told me. His reaction should tell you all you need to know to make a decision. If he doesn't understand where you're coming from, he's a prick and you're better off without him. After all the shit you've had to deal with in your life, you deserve a bit of happiness."

Mal let out a small laugh, resting her head on his shoulder. "I like this softer side of you. It almost feels like you aren't a crazy pirate."

Harry placed the point of his hook on the tip of her nose. "I'll always be a crazy pirate, so if you tell anyone about this, I'll hook you and anyone you tell." He teased before placing the hook on the window ledge.

"Thank you, Harry." She whispered, her eyes closing. Falling asleep in the pirate's dorm wouldn't look good to the press or anyone else in Auradon, but in that moment, she didn't care at all. Like Harry had said, she deserved to be happy. It was in that moment, a second before she drifted off to sleep, that she decided to do whatever made her happy, no matter the consequences.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Hi, again! Hope you guys are enjoying this so far. I know Harry's a bit more crazed in the movies, but I figured, after being in Auradon for a while and getting closer to the original four VKs, he would've calmed down a bit, especially if he's starting to develop feelings for Mal. Don't worry, his "crazy pirate" self will make a few appearances. I'll try to make chapters a little longer after this. Right now, it's just setting things up for the story to come. **


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Mal opened her eyes and immediately looked around at her surroundings. She had stayed the night in Harry and Gil's dorm, but they had moved her into Harry's bed while he slept on the sofa. A small smile appeared on her face as her eyes landed on the sleeping pirate. There was something calming about the soft snores leaving his lips as he slept.

Mal quietly got out of bed and walked over to him, pressing a soft kiss against his forehead, "Thank you, again." She whispered before slipping out of the room.

As she walked up the stairs towards her own dorm, she heard Jane and Evie discussing where Mal could've been the night before. She quickly turned to walk in the opposite direction, but ended up running into someone.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't-" She stopped talking as her eyes met those of her fiancé. "Ben, what are you doing here? I thought you would've been working or something."

Ben let out a chuckle, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I was actually looking for you. Fairy Godmother is starting to plan the wedding, and she needed your input on a few things. I asked Evie and Jane if they had seen you, but they said they hadn't since breakfast yesterday." He tilted his head, worry in his eyes. "Is everything okay?"

Mal nodded, unsure if this was a good time to bring up what she and Harry had talked about the night before. "Yeah, I just hung out with Harry and Gil last night. They wanted to have a movie night but couldn't figure out how to get the television to work, so I came in and helped. Ended up staying for the movie and then crashed on the couch."

Something flashed in Ben's eyes. Anger? Jealousy? "You are not to do that again, Mal. You can't go around sleeping in some other guy's room. People talk. What if someone had seen you? You are about to be the Queen of Auradon, but you don't seem to grasp the fact that you aren't on the Isle anymore. You can't go around doing whatever you want. You have an image to uphold. You have my reputation to worry about, not just yours."

Mal just stared at him as he reprimanded her for doing nothing but spend time with a friend. If only he knew exactly what was said last night. She wanted nothing more than to scream at him for talking to her the way he did. She wasn't a child that needed to be disciplined.

"Maybe I don't want to have to worry about your reputation or your image." She blurted out.

Ben raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying…" She looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. The last thing she needed was more rumors. "I don't know if I want this. I never wanted to be queen. I never wanted to be on television or go to fancy balls." Her nerves started to get the best of her. Why couldn't she say what she did to Harry? Why was she more comfortable with the pirate than the man she was set to marry?

"Well, you know that being with me comes with those things. I'm sorry, but there's no way around that. You'll get used to it, I promise. But for now, I think it's best if you stayed away from Harry and Gil for a while, just in case anyone saw you leave their room last night."

There it was. The blatant act of him taking another part of her away. First it was the Isle, then her spellbook, now he was telling her not to see two of her friends simply because people might talk? Let them talk, she thought to herself. She wasn't going to lose Harry.

"No." She said with a small laugh. "Ben, I care about you, I truly do. But I don't think I'm in love with you. I don't know if I ever was. Our relationship started with a lie and it's been built on lies ever since. I don't fit into your world, and that's perfectly fine by me, but it seems to be an issue for you. If you want a girl who will do whatever you say, make you look good with the press, and will give you that future that you want, go find her. It's not me. It never was me. Find a princess that can make you happy. Hell, Audrey would probably still want that spot by your side. You need a princess, and I can't be that for you. I can't give up who I am just to have a big castle and tiara."

Ben took a step towards her, wrapping his arm around her waist. "You're just nervous about the wedding. Come on. Let's just go see Fairy Godmother, and you'll forget everything when you start to plan the wedding."

Mal pulled away from him, taking a step back. "Ben, you don't get it. I don't want any of this. Just go."

A low growl erupted from Ben's chest as he grabbed her wrist. "Mal, we are leaving now. Let's go."

"She told you to go." Harry said, turning the corner. "Now take your hand off of her and walk away."

Ben narrowed his eyes. "This doesn't concern you. This is between Mal and myself. Leave."

Harry raised an eyebrow, sauntering over to him. His hand quickly grasped the wrist of the hand that was holding onto Mal while the tip of his hook moved dangerously close to Ben's throat. "I captured you once, boyo. Those threats I made before are still fresh in my mind and I will follow through on any one of them if you don't let go of her."

Ben swallowed hard, staring back at the pirate, trying to show as little fear as possible. Without another word, he let go of Mal's wrist, feeling Harry's hand drop from his, as well. He looked between the two VKs before turning around and walking off.

Harry immediately turned around, gently taking her hand to examine it. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He asked, noticing the slight red marks that Ben's fingers left behind on her wrist.

"I'm fine. It's nothing. You know I had much worse on the Isle, especially against you and Uma." She said with a small smile. "You know, for a pirate, you act more like a knight in shining armor sometimes."

Harry cringed at the memory of the Isle, washing Mal's blood off of his hook when she had gotten too close to him in a fight. He had never meant to hurt her, but she had fought harder than anyone expected her to. For once, he had drawn blood on accident. He could still see the scar on her cheekbone when the light hit her face.

"I'll walk you back to your room. Calm Evie down. You and I will talk about what happened later."

They walked in silence up the stairs to Mal and Evie's dorm. "Don't get into any trouble while I'm not here, okay? Can't let you have all the fun." Harry said with a smile.

Mal moved to her toes and pressed a kiss to Harry's cheek. "Got it." She said before slipping into her dorm.

Harry just stood there for a minute, his hook tracing the place Mal's lips had just been. There was a tightness in his chest that he had never felt before, but it wasn't painful. He chuckled as he turned to walk back down the stairs. He didn't want to think too much into it, but he couldn't help but wonder if maybe his feelings for Mal weren't so unrequited.


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as Mal closed the door, she was immediately met with Evie wrapping her arms around her.

"Mal! We were so worried. Ben was looking for you, Jane and I have been looking everywhere. Where have you been?" Evie pulled away slightly, noticing the look on her best friend's face. "You're smiling. Why are you smiling? What happened?"

Mal couldn't help but laugh at Evie's reaction. "I fell asleep in Harry and Gil's room last night. I've been dealing with a lot of things on my mind, and I just needed to get away for the night. This morning, Ben and I broke up. I told him that I couldn't be the future queen he wanted me to be. He got kind of upset, Harry threatened him, and then Harry walked me back here."

A small smirk appeared on Evie's face. "Hook, huh? Can't say I never saw that coming. Back on the Isle, it seemed like the two of you were always trying to find ways to fight with each other. You know, Uma said he was pretty pissed when he found out about you and Ben."

"Nothing is going on with Harry and I. Not right now, at least. It wouldn't look good for anyone, if I immediately jumped into something with Harry. With the press, it'll be hard enough telling them that I'm no longer with Ben. I don't think Harry's ready for the attention a relationship with me would bring." She shook her head. "Harry and I are just friends right now. When everything calms down, we'll revisit the topic."

Evie sat back down at her table to finish her newest creation. She could see the happiness behind her friend's eyes. Since first leaving the Isle of the Lost, Mal hadn't been the same. Evie, Carlos, and Jay were able to adapt quickly and find new passions in Auradon, but Evie always felt like, however much Mal denied it, something was missing in her best friend's life. For the first time since leaving, that spark was back in Mal's eyes. As much as Evie would've loved for her best friend to be Queen of Auradon, she would much rather see her friend living the life that she wanted, not a life that was planned out for her.

Mal walked over to her closet and pulled out a fresh set of clothes before walking into the bathroom to change. Once dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror. She no longer had to worry about what she looked like. She no longer had to pretend to be an Auradon girl or future queen. She could finally be herself. She smiled at the thought as she applied the dark eyeshadow she hadn't been able to use since before Ben's coronation. It felt good to be back.

* * *

Later that day, Mal found Harry down by the forbidden beach again. A laugh escaped her lips as she made her way down to him. She couldn't help but notice how at peace he seemed. She was sure she'd never seen him so content. Disturbing him almost seemed cruel, but the second he noticed her, the smile on his face didn't falter.

"Coming to bring me back? Is Fairy Godmother worried that I'll steal a ship and never come back?" He teased.

Mal rolled her eyes. "One of these days, you're going to actually get caught and they'll create a barrier to keep you fifty feet away from every beach, until you graduate." She took a deep breath. "Listen, about earlier- "

Harry held up a finger to her. "I know. This place isn't completely different from the Isle. Going off of the last twenty-four hours, I'd say that you and I have something. Something that wasn't acceptable there and something that isn't acceptable here. I'm aware."

She let out a sigh, her eyes travelling to the ocean. "Not right now. It's complicated, Harry. Back home, it was a safety concern. People would have used us against each other. Here…" Mal could feel his eyes on her, making it harder for her to come up with the right words. "When the press finds out about the break up, the last thing I want them to do is go after you, thinking that you're the reason behind it."

Harry smirked, gently running his hook down her cheek, "Aye, but aren't I?"

"No, you're not. You're just…a _slight_ reason." She said, letting out a sharp breath. "I'm trying to make this easier on everyone involved. Ben makes the announcement, I say it's because I didn't feel comfortable in a position of such power in Auradon, and that's it. If you and I want to try something in a few months, then we can discuss it, but right now, we need to keep this quiet."

"I've done that since we were children, princess. A few months won't kill me or change my mind."

They stood there in silence for a few minutes, just listening to the ocean. Though they didn't speak, their thoughts were nearly identical. Someday soon, they'd be free. They could be normal, for once in their lives. They didn't have to be villainous creatures and they didn't need to fit in with the royals of Auradon. They could finally be whoever they wanted to be.

* * *

The announcement was taken as everyone expected. Anyone who didn't know Mal or Ben personally had no idea that their relationship was coming to an end. The press had hounded Mal wherever she went, asking what had made her change her mind, if there was someone else, why she would hurt Ben. With every question, she was more and more tempted to turn around and hex all of them.

Her relationship with Ben easily went back to a simple friendship. Ben immediately apologized for letting his temper slip. "I guess I take after my dad with the whole 'beastly anger' thing, huh?" He had said. And although the two were on better terms than before, Ben's promise of not giving up on her still worried her. He was truly an Auradon King, never giving up on something until there was nothing left to fight for. She just hoped that the future held little to no more heartbreak or pain for the king that had once had her heart.

Mal was sitting at the VKs' usual lunch table when Harry leaned close to her to whisper in her ear.

"I'm guessing you still don't know how to swim. What would you say to a lesson in an hour? Down by the beach? I haven't felt the ocean water on my skin in months. I thought you might want to come."

She bit back a smile as she nodded. "I'll meet you there."

**Author's Note**

**Hey, guys! Thanks so much for the reviews, favorites, and follows!**

**I do want to just clear something up because I have gotten a couple messages about it. I promise, Ben isn't the bad guy in this story. I just like the idea of him inheriting the temper his dad had as a beast, plus it gave Harry a reason to bring out his pirate side a little bit :) **** Both sides of the boys will make their return, but our dear Benny-Boo will come out of the story as the same cinnamon roll we know and love. **

**Update: Sorry for the format issues. When I uploaded the doc, the breaks and some of the punctuation didn't transfer over. It's now been fixed. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks so much for sticking with this story. So glad people are actually reading it. For this chapter, I just want to put a disclaimer. I will be adding a scene in here that is inspired by a few other fics. It's kind of become a cliché for Mal/Harry stories, and I honestly think it's cute as hell and wanted to add it in here. Thanks, again, for sticking around!**

Harry was already in the water when Mal reached the beach. She wouldn't have been surprised if he had been there for hours already. That was one thing that Mal admired about him. He was very guarded with his feelings and emotions, but when it came to the ocean, he was as proud as the father of an Olympic medalist. With every wave, he could tell you what was beautiful or unique about it. He could talk for hours about the depths and treasures the ocean held. It almost made Mal jealous that he had something like that.

When Harry caught sight of her, he swam back to shore, tossing his hair out of his eyes. "Is the wee dragon ready?" He smirked, knowing Mal's aversion to the water.

"My dad is Hades. Think about it. Fire, water. They don't exactly mix. As for my mother, we both know she would've tried to drown me, if given the chance. So no, I'm not ready, but I'm as close to it as I'll ever get." Mal kicked off her shoes before pulling off her jeans and top, leaving her in one of Evie's latest swimsuits. "And if you say one word about what I'm wearing, I'll make your life a living hell."

The smirk didn't leave Harry's face as he took her hand and led her into the water. "Aye, I'll keep that in mind."

The second the water hit Mal's stomach, she started to panic. Harry noticed immediately and took her other hand before stepping further into the water. "It's alright. I've got you." He mumbled, stopping when the water was at Mal's shoulder's. "I'll keep hold of your hands. I want you to start kicking your feet while I walk backwards."

Mal reluctantly obeyed, knowing she had to get over her fear of the ocean. She had grown since the incident a few years before. With Harry keeping her above water and her determination, she knew she could do this.

* * *

After about an hour or so, Mal was starting to get the hang of swimming, even being able to swim around without Harry having to hold her, much to Harry's displeasure. They both decided to take a break and relax on the sand for a bit. Mal pulled out two sandwiches she had packed, handing one to Harry.

"Thanks for this." She said, looking out at the water. "I didn't think I'd be able to get into the water again, after what happened."

Harry just shrugged, taking a bite of the sandwich. "It's been three years. I thought it would be best to get you over that fear. You never know when you're going to want to leave Auradon and come ask me to take me with you when I finally get my ship. Can't be afraid of the water for your entire life."

Mal nodded before standing back up. "Finish your sandwich. I'll be in the water." She winked at him as she walked backwards into the water.

When she began floating on top of the water, Harry recognized the relaxed expression on her face. It was something he hadn't seen in a very long time. An expression he only ever saw when she was around Evie, Carlos, and Jay. Now, here it was when she was in the water, when she was with him. Harry felt his chest start to tighten again, just like it had when he saw her again in Curl Up & Dye.

Harry grabbed their trash and walked it over to the bin before hearing Mal yell for him. When he turned around, he saw a large wave crash over Mal's head, sending her deep underwater.

"Mal!" He yelled, immediately running into the water and diving down to get her. He opened his eyes to look for her, ignoring the slight stinging in his eyes the water caused. The second he saw her hair, he kicked as hard as he could, trying to get to her as quickly as possible. When he finally got to her, he wrapped his arm around her waist, his stomach twisting at the limpness of her body. Ignoring the burning in his lungs, he kept kicking until they finally broke the surface of the water.

Harry looked down at Mal's lifeless body as fear started to fill him. "Come on, wake up. Mal, wake up!" He yelled, pressing down on her chest. He couldn't lose her again. Not like this. He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers, breathing into her, before continuing with his compressions. Only when she started coughing up water did he finally relax.

He helped her sit up and grabbed a towel for her, wrapping it around her shoulders. Why had he let her go out by herself? Why did he take his eyes off of her? She could've died, and it would've been completely his fault.

When Mal's breathing returned to normal, she placed her hand on Harry's cheek. "It's not your fault." She whispered, as if knowing his thoughts. "The ocean is unpredictable. You know that better than anyone else. It was nothing more than bad luck, but you being here with me…that's good luck. I would've died if you _weren't _here. You're the one who saved my life. This isn't the first time, and I highly doubt it will be the last."

Harry just looked into her eyes as she spoke. He'd always hold guilt for what happened. This was the second time he'd had to save her from the ocean he loved so much. It was as if his two loves were battling for his attention. If he still wasn't so worried about Mal, he would've laughed at the thought. He'd lived his entire life being pulled away from the ocean, never being able to truly set sail, almost like he had been with Mal, but deep down, he knew that the girl in front of him would win his heart every single time.

Without a second thought, he leaned down to press his lips against hers for a moment. Mal's eyes widened at the kiss but almost instantly relaxed, her arms slowly moving to wrap around his neck.

"We should get you to the infirmary." He mumbled. "We'll talk about this after you've been checked out. Make sure you didn't hit your head."

Mal let out a laugh, rolling her eyes as she let her arms drop. "You're impossible."

Harry shoved their things into his backpack before picking up Mal, knowing she wouldn't be able to walk back to Auradon Prep by herself. During the short walk back, the two stayed silent, not knowing what to say.

When they reached the infirmary, Harry was told to set Mal down on an empty bed and wait outside for her. He nodded, pulling her clothes out of his backpack and placed them next to her, knowing she wouldn't want to walk back to her dorm in nothing but a swimsuit.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead before reluctantly walking out of the infirmary and sitting on the bench outside. He just hoped this wouldn't take too long.

* * *

Harry felt like he had been waiting for Mal for hours, but when he looked up at the clock, it showed it had only been about twenty minutes. He groaned, pulling his hook out of his bag and fiddled with the point. How much longer would this take?

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Ben's voice down the hall, asking where Mal was. _Not again,_ Harry thought as he stood up.

"She's fine." He said as soon as Ben was within earshot.

Ben looked at the pirate, noticing the defeated look in his eyes, a drastic difference from their last conversation. "What happened?"

"We went to the beach. I was teaching her how to swim. She went back in without me while I was putting our things away and a wave crashed over her."

The King's eyes widened. "Why would you let her go in alone? Don't you know she can't swim? Don't you know how terrified of the water she is?"

"I know her better than you do." Harry snapped. "Do you think I don't know that this is my fault? I was there when her fear started. I was trying to help her."

"Well, you didn't succeed in doing that, did you?"

Just as Harry was about to respond, Fairy Godmother appeared.

"Mr. Hook, Mal's just getting cleaned up. You may go in, if you'd like."

At those words, Ben disappeared from Harry's mind and he immediately turned to walk back into the infirmary.

* * *

As Ben walked towards his next class, he noticed Evie leaving the chemistry classroom.

"Hey, Evie. Do you have a second?"

The blue-haired girl nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Is everything okay?"

"Mal had an accident. She's fine. Hook's with her. They went to the beach, a wave crashed over her, Hook went in and got her. He's with her in the infirmary now. I didn't see Mal, but Hook looked pretty bad."

As much as Evie was worried about her best friend, she knew that Harry wouldn't let anything happen to her. She wanted to run to the infirmary to see her, but thought it would be best to leave her with Harry. She'd see Mal later. Right now, something told her that Mal needed the pirate.

Evie looked up at the clock, knowing she would be late for her next class, but didn't care in that moment. "Come with me. I think you should know what happened a few years ago." She said, walking back towards her dorm.

Once they arrived in Mal and Evie's dorm room, she took a deep breath and sat on the edge of her bed. "About three years ago, Mal was walking down by the docks to pick up a few things for her mother. When she was leaving, she ran into Uma, Gil, and Harry. Anyone with two eyes could see that Harry had a thing for Mal, and it really pissed off Uma. So after hearing that Harry had let Mal go without a scratch after an altercation only two days before, Uma's hatred for Mal was pretty high. Mal was her usual calm and cocky self, but instead of insulting her back or threatening her, Uma just decided to push her off the docks and into the water, knowing she couldn't swim. Harry immediately went in after her and pulled her out. She was unconscious and he brought her back to mine before taking off. Took a year and a half after that for him to get back onto Uma's good side."

Ben nodded as he listened to Evie tell the story. Harry's defeated look, the way Harry got angry when he pressed him about what happened. It started to make sense. He almost lost her twice to the ocean that he loved, but every time, he chose Mal without a second thought.

"He loves her." He said simply.

A small laugh escaped Evie's lips. "He has since we were kids. Before we were put into our own cliques on the Isle, they were best friends. I always expected that crush of his to go away, but it never did, I guess. But he'll never admit it. Not right now, anyway."

"And Mal?"

Evie let out a deep breath, looking back at Ben. "You know Mal. She doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve. She's very closed off to the idea of love. I thought that being with you would change that, but…" She shrugged, "She feels something for him, I know that for sure. Is it love? Possibly. In my honest opinion, I think she does love him but doesn't want to admit it to herself just yet. Pirates are free spirits. They love their booze, they'll sleep with anything that walks, and they leave whenever they feel like it. Loving a pirate is as terrifying as loving a king."

Ben smiled slightly at her last comment. He could never be angry with Mal for choosing Harry. There was one thing that ruled Auradon more than any king or queen ever could and that was true love.

"She found her true love."

Evie laughed, "Well, the jury's still out on that one, but she's definitely met her match. Those two are so alike in some ways. It's a little scary to think about what they'd be like as a team, let alone a couple."

Ben sat at Mal's desk, noticing a necklace with a small anchor on it. He couldn't help but smile, knowing that, no matter what happened, Mal would be happy, even if it wasn't with him.

"But while we're on the topic of relationships, I do believe I have someone you might like." Evie said, pulling out her phone.

So the two of them talked about the possible matches Evie had for Ben for the next hour before he had to leave to finish his work. As he walked into his office, he felt happier than he had in a long time. Mal found her true love. It was only a matter of time before he did, as well.


	6. Chapter 6

Mal woke up the next morning, her head on Harry's chest. She winced as she sat up, her body still aching from yesterday's events. Her hand slowly lifted to trace one of the tattoos on Harry's bicep. Things would never be the same after what happened the day before. She knew Harry well enough to know that he'd never let her in any body of water alone again. She also knew that things were going to change between them.

After he had come back into the infirmary, Mal tried to talk to him about the kiss, but he kept changing the subject, always telling her they had time to talk about it later. When they arrived at his dorm, she asked again, only to be met with the same response. Soon after, they had fallen asleep. What was she supposed to do?

Just as she was about to stand up, she felt Harry move next to her. His eyes opened slowly, a smile appearing on his face as soon as he saw her. "I'm guessin' you're feeling better?" He reached up to run his fingers gently across the cut on her forehead. "I'm always the one to leave the scars on you, aren't I?" He muttered, his smile fading.

"Don't say that, Harry. This wasn't your fault. Just bad luck, remember?"

"I shouldn't have left you in the water. I shouldn't have turned my back. I shouldn't have taken you at all. I knew what could happen. I've seen countless men die in the ocean, I've killed men in the ocean." He sat up, running his hands down his face in frustration.

Mal grabbed his arm, pulling his hand away from his face. "Harry Hook, you stop that right now. Do you hear me? This wasn't your fault; this wasn't my fault. I knew what could've happened, and I still agreed. I don't regret one single second of yesterday. So you are going to stop this bullshit whining and blaming yourself because this isn't the Harry Hook I know."

Harry just looked at her for a moment. "There's something about you that makes me terrified of losing you. When you first left for Auradon, I was more pissed than upset. When Uma pushed you, a few years ago, and what happened yesterday… those are different. You didn't leave by choice. You could've _died_ and there's no coming back from that."

"I'm not going anywhere, Harry. You have to remember that. It's going to take a lot more than a wave to take me down." She let out a small laugh, leaning forward to press her lips against his. "Stop worrying."

Harry lifted his hand to rest his thumb against Mal's bottom lip. He knew they had to talk about what happened between them. As much as he tried to run away from the conversation, he knew he couldn't run forever. "I want you." He said simply. "I'm not hiding that anymore."

A smile slowly appeared on her lips at his words. "Yeah? The big bad pirate finally has a weakness? What will Uma and the crew think?" She teased.

"Fuck 'em." He said, placing his hand on the side of her neck before crashing his lips against hers. There was something about Mal that made him feel freer than any ocean ever could. He didn't know how she got into his heart, but she had been there for so long that being without her seemed impossible. Now that he had her, he wasn't letting her go again.

Mal slowly pulled back, biting back a smile. "So this is what you want?"

"Aye," he whispered. "I wouldn't want anything else."

* * *

After a few hours, Mal decided to go back to her dorm to get herself cleaned up. As much as she loved the smell of saltwater on Harry, she couldn't stand the smell when it was attached to her own skin. She quickly showered before pulling on a fresh set of clothes.

"I'd ask how you are, but going off of that smile, I'd say you don't really care that you almost died yesterday." Evie said, walking into the dorm. "Plus, I just saw Harry scaring a couple of freshmen, so I'd say he's in a good mood, as well."

Mal turned to her best friend, biting her bottom lip. "I should've come back last night. I had a feeling word would get around to you, but I should've told you. I just got…caught up in something."

Evie smirked, crossing her arms across her chest. "Don't worry about it. I figured Harry would be able to help you a lot more than I could. But I do want details. Ben and I talked a little bit, but we'll get to that later. Spill."

Mal sat down at her vanity, looking at Evie through the reflection of the mirror. "He was teaching me to swim, I got cocky and went out by myself, a wave dragged me down. Harry dove in to get me; said I wasn't breathing. When I opened my eyes, I saw him. Just him. In that moment, I knew I was a goner." She laughed, noticing the small anchor necklace from the hook on the side of the mirror. Harry must have snuck in and left it for her the day before. "Then he kissed me and carried me back to get my forehead stitched up and we fell asleep on his bed."

"And nothing happened? You two just slept? What about this morning? I was starting to worry when I woke up and you weren't here."

"We didn't really talk about what happened. You know Harry. He's not exactly one to express his feelings, but he _did _tell me he wanted me and that he didn't want to hide it."

Evie bit back a smile. "So the great daughter of Maleficent is dating Harry Hook. I almost want you to turn her back from a lizard, just so I can see her reaction to that." She waited a moment before continuing, her voice a little more cautious. "Does your dad know anything about Harry? I heard Fairy Godmother calling him this morning to tell him what happened. I wasn't sure if you'd talked to him or not."

At the mention of her father, Mal's head whipped around to look at Evie. "She called him?" she asked, worry evident in her voice.

Since the barrier had come down, Mal and Hades had been working on their relationship. She'd see him once a week for lunch to catch up, hoping they could build on the small bit of trust Hades had gained from his daughter. How was she supposed to explain everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours? He was just starting to like Ben. Could he ever think highly of Harry, the son of one of his enemies? She remembered the stories that were told about the god and the pirate. It was one of the main feuds that caused the rift between the pirates and everyone else on the island.

"I'll talk to him. He'll be fine with it. It's not like Harry is anything like his dad. Not with me, anyway."

Evie just nodded, not fully convinced that Mal could make the situation work in her favor. "I hope so. Don't forget, you also have Captain Hook and Harry's sisters to worry about, as well."

Mal groaned, "Don't remind me."

* * *

"Where is Mal? Where is my kid?"

Mal could hear her dad yelling from down the hall. She took a deep breath as she quickened her pace.

"Dad, I'm here. I'm fine."

Hades turned towards her and immediately pulled her into a tight hug. "What the hell happened? Are you insane, thinking you could swim alone? You could've died, and I can't bring you back if you're at the bottom of the ocean."

Mal pulled away slightly to look at her father's face. He was worried. It was something she had never seen from him. He was usually calm and collected, even in the face of imminent death, but here he was, acting like she had been eaten by a crocodile.

"I'm fine, dad. Can we go somewhere to talk so people stop staring? You kind of made a scene." She said, looking around at the dozens of people watching the villains.

Hades nodded, following Mal out into the courtyard. He knew there was something going on. His instincts never let him down.

Once they got to the courtyard, Mal sat down on one of the benches. Before she could start, Hades' eyes widened. "Are you pregnant?" he asked, worried about her answer.

Mal nearly choked on her breath as the words left his mouth. "No! Of course not! I have something to tell you, but it's not _that_."

Hades visibly relaxed. If that wasn't what she wanted to talk about, why was she acting so nervous? "Then what's going on?"

Mal took a deep breath. "Yesterday, I wanted to learn how to swim. I figured it's time. I'm seventeen and can't even enjoy the pool on campus. Anyway, I figured Harry would be the best person to teach me."

"Harry _Hook_?" He interrupted.

She nodded slowly. "I ended things with Ben and he wasn't exactly happy about it. When he started getting really angry, Harry stepped in before he could go full-on beast. Since then, we've been hanging out more. Anyway, he was teaching me to swim and I got the hang of it. We took a break, had something to eat, and I went in while he was cleaning up. A wave crashed over me and he went in to save me."

"So you and Harry Hook are friends. You're friends with the son of the man that threatened to skin you alive as a baby to get back at me for destroying one of his ships? The man that is known for attacking and killing _children_? I don't even go after kids. Mali, come on. You're smarter than this."

"He is not his father. He may look like him and dress like him, but he isn't Captain Hook. Harry can be ruthless and cruel sometimes, but he's sweet and protective and he saved my life, dad. If he was anything like his father, he would've let me drown. He would've seen me in the water and walked away. He's more than just a pirate." Mal could feel her stomach turn at the thought of her next sentence. "I'm dating him. I might even love him. He doesn't try to change me into something I'm not. He calls me on my shit and I do the same to him. He makes me genuinely happy."

Hades stared at his daughter as she spoke, trying to understand every word coming out of her mouth. He had just gotten her back, just earned her trust back. Would he be willing to lose that simply because she was dating the son of his enemy? The answer was clear when he looked into her pleading eyes. He didn't deserve to have a say in who she loved, but here she was, hoping for his approval of the young pirate.

"I want to meet him."


	7. Author's Note

Hi, guys! Just a quick update. I've been moving for the last few days, so I haven't had too much time to write. I promise, the next chapter will be coming soon!

I also wanted to say something. I really appreciate all of your reviews, but if there is criticism, please make it constructive. This is my work and I will write what I want and portray these characters how I want to. Please respect that. I will take constructive criticism and work on things, if I see fit. Anything that is meant to insult will be deleted.

Thank you all for sticking with this story and the positive reviews I've gotten. I really appreciate it. I have been reading some suggestions that I'll probably add to future chapters, so don't be afraid to suggest ideas!

-Kitty


	8. 7

Harry hook was never one to be nervous. The man was a pirate, after all, but never in his life did he think he'd be nervous about meeting Hades, himself. It wasn't the fact that he was Hades. It was the fact that he was Mal's father. Her father could be a sweet little old man and he'd be terrified of meeting him. So meeting Mal's father, who just so happened to be the former ruler of the underworld, wasn't exactly something he was looking forward to.

What would he even think about him? Mal left a king for him. A king who could've given her everything and more. She would never have to worry about money, about safety, about happiness with Ben. Harry, on the other hand, didn't have a penny to his name, put Mal in danger just because of who his father was (not that he'd let anything happen to Mal), and he and Mal constantly bickered. They always had, since they were kids. He wanted nothing more than for Mal's happiness. He just didn't know if he was the person who could make her the happiest.

Harry looked at himself in the mirror. He decided against his usual thick eyeliner, put on the least tattered clothes he owned, and actually ran a comb through his hair. Carlos and Jay had helped him look a little less pirate-y. After all, he knew his father's past with the former god. The least pirate-like, the better.

He nearly jumped at the knock on the door, earning a hidden laugh from Jay. "Shut up or I'll hook ye in your sleep." He muttered before opening the door.

Mal looked him up and down, shaking her head. "Harry..." she sighed. He was doing exactly what she did when she started dating Ben. He was trying to be less of himself. "Come here." She grabbed his hand and dragged him to his bed, forcing him to sit down. She pulled out his usual coat and hat. "You're going to put these on. Don't be someone you're not, just because of my dad. If he can see how happy you make me, then it won't matter what you look like."

Harry grabbed the coat and pulled it on, instantly feeling more like himself. Mal ran her fingers through his hair, tousling it a bit. "There's my pirate." She placed a kiss on his cheekbone before taking his hand. "Just...leave the hook. That may he pushing it. We want him to forget that you're the son of the man who tried to kill me as a newborn."

——

As the two approached Hades' lair, Mal could sense Harry tensing up with each step. Before walking inside, Mal pulled him to a stop. "I love you, alright? Whatever happens won't change that."

Harry ran his finger along her jawline, shaking his head. "The things I do for you..." he chuckled before kissing her lips.

In that moment, the entrance swung open and Hades stepped out. "Great first impression." He said sarcastically.

"Dad..." Mal warned. "This is Harry."

Harry held out his hand to shake Hades' hand, but was met with a simple nod. Harry's hand dropped before shoving both into his pockets. "Nice to meet you...officially."

"Yeah, well, it would be nice if my first impression was you locking lips with my kid."

"Dad!" She grabbed her father's arm and pulled him further into the building. "You promised you'd be nice. You said you'd give him a chance."

"Mal, I'm sorry. I just can't help but see his father. The last interaction I had with his goons was when I caught one trying to slip you poison when you were six."

Mal could vaguely remember that day. Her father screaming and chasing a few pirates away from the back alley she'd play in. It was the same day she met Harry for the first time.

"He's not his father."

Harry cautiously walked over to the two. "I'm well-aware that I look like my father, but I can assure you that's where our similarities start and end. Out of his children, I'm the least like him and the least favorite. Not one bit of me wants to be like him. He's a coward who attacks children. Nothing more. I can promise you that, if he ever tries to hurt Mal in any way, I will end him, personally."

Hades raised an eyebrow, looking at the young man. Perhaps he had judged him too soon. "Alright, Hoo- Harry. You bought yourself another hour before I decide to kick your ass out of here." He said with a smirk.

—

Dinner with Hades didn't go as planned, but in the best of ways. They all expected yelling and fighting, but it ended up being more meaningful discussions and joking around. It was as if Harry was the son of any other villain. Hades hadn't even been this friendly with Ben. Actually, quite the opposite.

"I always thought King Ben was a bit of a kiss-ass." He had said earlier.

Towards the end of the evening, Hades asked Harry if he would mind talking in private. Mal looked over at Harry, silently asking if he was alright with it. Harry smiled, bringing her hand up to his lips. "We won't be long." He said before following Hades into another room.

Hades let out a sigh, sitting on the sofa. "Mal obviously loves you. She's said it enough times while trying to make me like you." He chuckled. "I can see why. When she tenses up, it's almost as if you share a body. You know how she's feeling before even she does." He handed Harry a bottle of beer. "Your father and I will always hate each other. We've done too much to each other to ever get past that, but you're okay in my book. But if he touches one hair on Mal's head-"

"He won't." Harry said immediately, suddenly serious. "He's not part of my life. He won't be part of Mal's. If she somehow decides that she wants me around for a while and any kids appear, my father won't be part of their lives. I'll try my best to make sure that he doesn't know they exist."

"That kind of brings me to my next point..." He cleared his throat. "You're eighteen, shes seventeen. I get it. Hormones, love, yada yada. But she's got too much ahead of her to be held back by-"

"Woah! No, no, no. I swear to you, there won't be any kids in the near future. Ten years, minimum. Who knows? She may get tired of me by then."

"But you are having...you're doing...that. I know you two occasionally sleep in the same bed. I'm not naive. I just need you to swear to me that you're not sleeping around with other people."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "I may be a pirate, but I'm not one to sleep around. I have a reputation because of rumors. Barely any of it is true. After Mal left the Isle, I couldn't even look at another girl. Hell, when we were together, I never even thought of anyone else. I won't break her heart. It may be strange and hard to believe, coming from a pirate, especially a Hook, but I love her."

"You got your father's looks, but everything else is your mother. She and I were friends, way before you and your sisters were born. That's how the feud started. I saw her as a little sister, your father thought it was more than that. I didn't like how aggressive and possessive he became over her. When she died...I think we all know who is at fault for that."

Harry took a swig from his bottle. "Yeah, he's really an asshole, isn't he?" He laughed, finishing off the bottle. "I think we should get back to Mal before she thinks we've killed each other."

Hades just nodded, knowing his daughter's imagination. "You're a good guy, Harry." He said before following him back to the dining room.


	9. 8

The rest of the weekend went better than ever. Harry and Mal stayed cooped up in Mal and Evie's room, Evie having spent the weekend with Doug and his family.

Most of the weekend consisted of movies and conversation. Despite having the room to themselves, they decided to take things slow. Everyone, including Mal's father, had already assumed that they had slept together, and neither of them felt it was necessary to correct anyone. Why should they? It was their business, and they didn't want to bring that specific part of their new relationship into the public. After all, Mal still had the press hounding her about every little thing she did.

Harry had just walked in with pizza when he heard the shower turn off. "I'm back," he called out, "So feel free to walk out without a towel." Harry smirked, placing the pizza box on Mal's desk.

Mal rolled her eyes at his comment as she dried herself off before pulling on a pair of shorts and one of Harry's clean shirts. "You know, you may have everyone fooled by this 'More than a pirate' act, but I'm not buying it." She teased as she walked into the bedroom.

"Aye, I am more than a pirate, but that doesn't mean I'm going to ignore my beautiful girlfriend if she chooses to walk around the room without anything on."

She threw her wet towel at him. "You're lucky I love you."

There were those words again. She had said them so much, but Harry hadn't even danced around them. It was always "You mean so much to me" or "I can't imagine losing you", but never those three simple words. It worried Mal. As he said, Harry was more than just a pirate and she believed that, but maybe growing up as one affected his ability to love. What if he didn't love her? She didn't know if she could handle that.

"That I am, Princess. That I am." He said hanging the towel on the hook behind the bathroom door.

—

Later that night, Harry wanted to do something for Mal. Something that would make her happy. After much thought, he had an idea. Her spellbook. She'd told him about how Ben had her donate it to the museum to prevent it falling into the wrong hands. If you asked Harry, it seemed like a way for Ben to further control her.

He told Mal he just had to run to the library for a bit to find a book for class, when in reality, he made his way towards the museum. How hard would it be to steal the book from and Auradon museum? The thing must be guarded by nothing but trust. Harry snorted at the thought.

As he walked down the hallways of the museum, he couldn't help but notice the many villain rooms. "For a place that hated villains, they definitely honor them a lot." He said to himself.

When he finally found Maleficent's room, his eyes scanned the room before finally falling on the spellbook. "Ah, there ye are." He said, picking up the book and flipping through a few pages. "Hair changing spell, fancy dinner spell, proper etiquette spell...she tried to be an Auradon girl and the bloody king did nothing to help her." He muttered, shaking his head.

"Actually, I didn't know about those spells for a while. Obviously, the hair was obvious, but I didn't know that she was writing spells to try to be perfect." Ben said, strolling into the room.

"She already is perfect without the Auradon princess bullshit." Harry snapped. "You should've known she'd do that. Here, she was nothing more than a people-pleaser, a shell of who she was on the Isle. Leaving you has started to bring her back."

Ben let out a sigh, sitting on one of the small metal benches. "I know. I should've paid attention more, should've talked to her more, asked her how she was doing. I just assumed she was fine and continued on with my work as king."

"A shitty king, at that." Harry chuckled. "Now are you going to turn me in for stealing the book, like the goody two shoes King you are?"

"No." Ben said, much to Harry's surprise. "I understand why you're taking it. It's part of her. She deserves to have it. It wasn't right for me to force her to donate it."

Harry gave him a look, as if to say "You think?"

"There was always something that kept Mal and I at an arms length. I don't know if she even realized it. She and I would be fine one minute and screaming at each other, two minutes later. She needed someone who understood her, and I didn't want to admit that it was me. That something was you. Evie told me about how you two used to be close. Told me that you two were in love with each other since you were kids but refused to admit it. I took her away from you when I invited her to Auradon. I don't blame you for hating me."

Harry just stared at the king, unsure of how to respond. How could he respond to that?

"She loves you. I've overheard her telling Evie. But you...you're a mystery. I may not be with Mal, but that doesn't mean I won't look after her. I've been watching the two of you interact with other people, along with each other. She's happy when she's around you, she talks to Evie and Jane about you. You, on the other hand, are more closed off. If someone mentions her name, you change the subject. There was one day when Chad asked you how Mal was in bed and you nearly killed him. That was when I figured it out. She's your weakness. She's a weakness you wish you never had. You care about her deeply, but do you love her? The jury is still out on that one. Then I saw you sneaking off tonight. Being the king, I had to make sure you weren't causing any destruction or terror, so I followed you here. To be honest, I thought you were going to trash a few exhibits, but then I saw you take the spellbook. That is the first thing I've seen you do that shows how you truly feel about Mal."

Harry just glared at the king, so Ben decided to continue. "She wouldn't ask anyone to steal the book for her, so that means you thought about what would make her happiest and you did it, despite risking your better life in Auradon. That says a lot, whether you know what it says or not."

"Get to the point." Harry grumbled.

"My point is that you don't have to worry about me trying to steal her back."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "You wouldn't be able to, even if you tried."

"You love her, don't you?"

Harry swallowed hard. It was a question he'd been asked by Evie, Jay, Carlos, even Hades. He knew that they knew the answer, but he just couldn't get the words out. He could easily say it in passing, but he couldn't say it directly.

"On the Isle, love got you killed. There was no room for it. That's why a group like Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay was so unique. Two people who loved each other would be used against one another. If we were on the Isle and the barrier was still up, I'd be worried about any of my enemies taking her, torturing her, killing her, just to get back at me. It's something that's hard to remove from your brain. I hate the thought of anyone knowing that I love her because I'm terrified of something happening to her."

"So you do." He said, more of a statement than a question. Ben smiled slightly. He may not have been the right one for Mal, but at least she found someone who was.

Harry stared at the spellbook as if it held the answers to his next decisions. As if it would tel him what to do.

"I do." He said finally. "I love her."

—

When Harry finally made it back to the dorm, he opened the door, ready to tell Mal how he felt.

"Mal, I have something I believe is yours. I...I also have to tell you something."

There was no response. He looked around the empty room for any trace of Mal. There was nothing.

"Love?" He called our again. That's when he saw it. A note with his own hook stabbed into the table next to it.

_'Hello Son,_

_I wish I could be there to thank you, personally, for making my job easier. Who would've thought my own son would be the one to help me kidnap my greatest enemy's daughter? _

_I truly underestimated you, Harry.'_

Harry thought his grip on the table would surely break it but before he could, Evie walked in.

"Hey, Harry." She noticed his body was as tense as it possibly could be. "What's going on?"

"He took her. My dad took Mal. I'll fucking kill him if he touches a hair on her head."

Evie froze, trying to make sure she had heard correctly. "What do we do?"

"We find Hades."


	10. 9

"He did what?!"

Harry understood Hades' anger; it was the same type of anger and fear he was feeling.

"I don't know how he got in. I locked the door behind me when I left. Mal was watching a movie and when I came back, she was gone. He left this note." He said, handing it to his girlfriend's father.

Hades read over the paper before glaring at him. "This isn't true, right? You didn't help him take her?"

Harry nearly choked on air at his comment, his anger starting to flare. "Why the fuck would I do that? Do you think I'd be asking for your help if I had anything to do with this? Do you think I'd be scared shitless right now?"

Hades held back his anger, understanding why the young man was angry. The two were very alike, whether Hades wanted to admit it or not.

"I'm going to need you to do something that you're not going to be happy about." Hades said, his voice lowering. "I need you to pretend like this was the plan. You need to go to your father, angry that he ruined your plan to bring her to him, yourself. He needs to think you're on his side." He looked over at Carlos, Evie, Jay, and Uma. "Uma will be with Harry as backup. Make him think you're together to avoid suspicion. Mal won't be happy, but if she believes it, Hook will. Evie, Carlos, and Jay will be the distraction. Try to get in and rescue Mal. They'll think you're alone, but I won't be far. When Hook is in the perfect place, I-"

"I will finish him." Harry interrupted. "He has fucked with me my entire life. He's done doing that now. He's gone too far."

Uma placed her hand on her best friend's back. "Mal might need you, Harry. You might be the only one to get her out."

He shook his head. "Hades can get her out of there and protect her until she's safe at home. I'm the reason he had such easy access to her."

Hades nodded slowly. "We'll see what happens and go with whoever is in a better position."

Harry decided to drop the subject. What mattered right now was getting Mal back home, not fighting over who got to kill his father.

On the way towards Captain Hook's ship, Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the blue-haired god behind him.

"We'll get her back. This isn't your fault."

Harry let out an angry breath. "I shouldn't have left her."

"You did it because you wanted to give her something special. There's nothing wrong with that. No one would've guessed Hook would show up. Honestly, I thought he was done going after Mal, years ago."

"He doesn't give up until he gets what he wants."

"Alright, here's where we split." Uma called back to them.

Harry looked out towards the ship. Mal was somewhere in there. He could feel it.

"Let's get this over with." He mumbled, holding out his arm to Uma. She rolled her eyes before holding onto him, the two of them walking up the ramp onto the ship.

"Where is Captain Hook?" He asked one of the crew members. The scrawny blond gestured towards the captain's quarters. Harry nodded a thanks and walked through the large doors.

"Captain." He said, getting his father's attention. "I see you ruined my surprise for you. You underestimated me but didn't give me the chance to bring her to you."

Captain Hook turned to face his son, a scowl permanently on his face. "I don't know why you thought to play around with her before bringing her to me."

Uma could feel Harry's body tense up and decided to intervene. "You know Harry, always wanting to remind his women that he could be gone in a minute. He and I were in a huge argument and he wanted to, uh...put me in my place."

If the circumstances were different, he would find Uma talking about being put in her place hilarious. Before he could say anything else, there was a noise around the corner.

"Captain Hook," Uma started. "Would you mind showing me around your ship? I'm sure my mother would love to visit this ship."

Captain Hook nodded, a mischievous smile appearing on his lips. "Of course, dear Uma. You can tell me about the last few years of my son's life that he decided not to share with me." He placed his hook on her lower back, leading her out to the deck.

As soon as the door closed, Harry began looking around the room. "Mal?" He whispered. "Where are you?"

When he found her tied up in the closet, he let out a sigh of relief. She was alive. He placed his hands on her cheeks. "Are you hurt?"

Mal's eyes glowed green. "You played me? This was all a plan? I knew you were screwing Uma!"

Harry quickly covered her mouth. "Do you want him to come back?" He let out a deep breath. "Your dad is outside. Jay, Carlos, and Evie are going to create a diversion and your dad's gonna get you out of here." He pressed his lips against hers. "Uma is distracting my my dad. You know I'd rather wrestle a crocodile than date Uma."

Mal visibly relaxed. "I don't know what happened, Harry. One second I was going through my textbook, and the next I had a bag over my head."

Harry could see the fear in her eyes. "We'll be home soon, I swear to you. I just need to give your dad the signal that I've found you." He kissed her again. "I love you." He whispered before walking out to the deck.

He leaned against the side and looked around for Hades. When he made eye contact with him, he leaned left, signaling Mal's location. Almost simultaneously, he saw Evie, Jay, and Carlos running in the opposite direction. The plan was in motion.

Harry nodded at Hades before running to find his father. "Captain, Mal's friends are coming from the right. No doubt to take her back."

Captain Hook's eyes narrowed. "Not on my watch." He said before shouting out "Intruders to the right! Stop at nothing!"

Harry grabbed Uma's arm. "Sabotage any attacks on the three. I'll keep my eye on my father."

In the middle of the commotion, Harry could see Hades carrying Mal off the ship. At least their main problem was solved. Now it was down to the last one.

Harry pulled out his sword and ran towards his father. "It's over, father." He said, pressing the blade against his throat.

This was it. He was finally going to put an end to this. An end to the torture he'd endured since he was a child, an end to the feud with Hades.

He was about to finish him when he heard a scream from the shore. He turned around to see a few of his father's goons throwing Mal into the water, Hades being attacked from all sides. He didn't have to think about his decision.

"Uma!" He yelled. "Help Hades!"

Without a second thought, he dove into the water, kicking his legs as fast as possible. He had to get to Mal. His lungs burned and the water was choppy, but it didn't slow him down. When he finally saw purple hair bobbing out of the water, he reached out to grab Mal, swimming back to shore.

"Harry!" She said, coughing up water. "Are you okay?"

Harry just stared at her. "Me? You could've drowned. You were kidnapped! Are you okay?" He looked over her body, trying to find any serious injuries. When he didn't find anything, he looked back to see Evie, Jay, and Carlos swimming to shore. Hades and Uma were making their way over to them. "Everyone is safe."

When Hades reached them, he wrapped his arms around his daughter. "Mal, you're okay." He said with a smile on his face. He pulled away to look at Harry. "I'm sorry you didn't get your shot at your dad but..." he pointed to the ship. Almost immediately, there was a loud bang coming from the ocean. "At least you'll see his beloved ship go down. Gives you more of a chance when the opportunity arises. He won't be able to sail away."

Harry looked at Hades, unsure of what to say. All he knew was that he was more of a father than his own, and he was okay with that.

He wrapped his arms around Mal, holding her tighter. She looked up at him, a smile on her face. "I love you too, by the way."


End file.
